Method of uniting wood for floor-coverings



(No Model.)

0, E. RIDER. METHOD OF UNITING. WOOD FOR FLOOR OOVERINGS l x 2 oo .---ill l i llil ---Si I -il I Il-.. OO w 1. n 4 1 F r a M d e Lb n w D... u I: m u no 2 0V 5 2 vllllll|||||I||l|TIILIIIIIIIIIIIL 0 N w Unteren NStreams arena CHARLES E. RIDER, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 255,023, dated March 14, 1882.

Application tiled October 28, 188,1, (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

method` of uniting blocks or pieces of wood for flooring, marquetry, parquetry, cabinet-work, building, pavement, carpentry, mosaic work in woodand all other work in wood where close, or strong, or durable, or gas, water, or air tight joints are desired, or when hygrometrie cha-nges tend to open the joints, or where flexibility ofthe resulting product is required, of which the following is a specification.

My in vention relates to an improved mode of uniting blocks or strips of wood of any size or form; and it consists in attaching the opposing surfaces ofthe wooden blocks to each other by means of a metalsuch as lead or a suitable alloy-molten and run into grooves or rccesses previously formed in the wood.

My invention also consists in an improved coveringfortloors, walls,&c.,forined of wooden blocks preferably set on end, and secured together by aV suitable metal inserted in the molten condition into grooves cut in the 0p posing surfaces of the blocks.

My invention also'consists in heating the wooden blocks at the time the molten metal is introduced into them for the purpose ot' preventing the too rapid cooling ot' the same.

My improvements are represented in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a wooden dooncovering or wainscoting embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section of the same on the linemx, Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views, representing modifications. Figrepresents in sectiona steamtable for the purpose of heating the wooden blocks at the time of the introduction of the molten metal therein.

In the practical application of my improved process for formingjoints in wood, the blocks' ers chase, or by any other suitable means.

The collection is then turned up in sucha way that one corner-say c, Fig. l-is uppermost, and all the grooves'arc inclined as much as possible with the horizontal. Molten lead,`or an alloy of lead, or any suitable molten metal, is then poured into the grooves at the point c, when almost instantly the blocks are fixed t0- gether by the cooling of the metal in the grooves. The wood may be heated before the insertion of the metal to prevent the too sudden chilling of the latter; but this is only necessary when the grooves are narrow or the amount of matexial to be operated on is large. An opening is made in the inclosing-framc at c for the insertion of the molten metal. The blocks may becla-mped in theframe by wedges, Screws, or other suitable devices. The collection of blocks or wooden tile thus formed may be applied to use by surrounding them with any suitable frame-work, and in this condition applied to doors, sidewalks, pavements, wainseoting, and many similar purposes. 'lhe wooden tiles formed by my improved process may also be used for ilooring or other purposes without any frame surrounding them, a. number of the tiles hein g laid with their edges in contact. their edges by forming grooves therein, which grooves are subsequently filled with molten metal driven in by a force-pump or by the weight of a column of liquid.

' The wooden blocks may be stained, dyed, or

The tiles may be joined together at otherwise colored in any preferred way, and.

they may be arranged so as to form any desired gures or patterns. The blocks may also be of any suitable shape, capable of being fitted together to form a solid tile.

Inanother mode of operating, the separate blocks may be placed in position on the floor or other surface to be covered, and the molten metal introduced into thc grooves between' the blocks in this position. l am thus enabled to lay a floor-covering complete without the use of nails, screws, glue, cement, or any other means of fixation, unless'it he at the outer edges.

Irregular gashes, drill-holes, or other spaces for the reception of the molten metal may take the place ot' the regular grooves above meutioned. For instance, the blocks may beset up in a chase without preparation, except proper jointing. The loweror back surface ot' the collection is then sawed into for a little depth, either irregularly or at the lines ot'junction of the divers blocks, or in such a manner as to make a dovetailed groove, (see Fig. 4,) and these cuts tilled with the molten metal. For thin wainscoting, for instance, this is a proper application ot' my improved method. Wallcoverings made in this way are represented in the sectional views, Figs. 3 and 4.

In Fig. 5 I have represented in section a steam-table for the purpose of heating the wooden blocks, so as to facilitate the introduction of the moltenmetal into the grooves. By means of the steam receptacle or tabe G, receiving steam through the pipe 7L, the tile A is heated to such a degree as to prevent the too ,rapid chilling of the molten metal during the operation of uniting the blocks of which the tile is composed. Any other suitable means of applying heat to the tile may, however, be employed.

Floor or wall coverings manufactured in accordance with my improvements possess the following advantages: lbey are impervious to moisture, and on account of the lead or metal contained therein they are poor conductors of sound. They also possess a certain amount of iiexibility and adapt 'themselves to any surface to which they may be applied, retaining their shape without any tendency to spring or warp from any atmospheric or other causes. They are also exceedingly durable, especially when theend ot' the grain of the wood forms the surface exposed to wear. They are also cheap in price, and may be made very elegant in appearance by the use of suitable designs or patterns.

I claim- 1. The herein-described method ot' uniting wood, which consists in introducing lead or other suitable metal or alloy into grooves in the4 wood in the molten condition, substantially as and for the purposes described.

- 2. As a new article ot' manufacture, the wooden tiles herein described, consisting ot' wooden blocks united by the introduction of molten metal or alloyinto grooves therein, sul stantially as described.

3. The herein-described method of forming jointsinwood,consisting in introducing molten metal into grooves formed in the opposing surfaces ofthe wood while the latter is in a heated condition, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

CHARLES E.. RIDER.

Witnesses:

GEO. B. SELDEN, H. G. PHILLIPS. 

